It’s normal for Kentucky drivers to feel anxious or nervous when getting behind the wheel of a car, especially if you're a new driver. While driving gives you freedom, it also comes with unpredictable risks like accidents. According to annual data shared by the Association for Safe International Road Travel, more than 37,000 people are killed due to road crashes while around 2.35 million are disabled or injured. The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that 2,239,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2010 and 2,217,000 in 2011.

The risks of driving
It's no secret that driving can be risky and causes injuries every single day. So, what are some of the risks and consequences of unsafe driving? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention backed this information saying that the cost of health care and productivity losses related to car crash injuries in 2010 reached more than $99 billion. That's almost $500 for every licensed American driver! These high figures gathered by various agencies tell us that injuries associated with car crashes are a serious issue. We need to be very careful when driving to help minimize the risks of being involved in accidents.

What helps to reduce the risk of an accident is knowing what could be a potential danger. Some dangers include: other motorists, animals, cell phones and even pedestrians. You need to be aware of your surroundings at all times. Know where nearby cars are and keep an eye out for animals, especially on roads surrounded by woods. This will help you identify potential dangers and even help you avoid accidents. This means you need to put your cell phones and other electronic devices away so they won't distract you. Also, when you’re driving with passengers in the car, make sure to always stay focused on the road. We're not saying that you shouldn't talk to your passengers, just make sure that you don't get so engaged in the conversation that you get into an accident.

Types of accident injuries
There are several types of car-related injuries. The most common are:

Neck injuries. These injuries range from mild injuries such as neck strain and whiplash, which can be remedied by rest, to more serious ones like disc injury or cervical dislocation.

Traumatic brain injuries. This is among the most debilitating kind of injury that can affect both drivers and passengers. Traumatic brain injuries are caused by your head hitting an object with great impact or your head being hit by an object. Unfortunately, symptoms aren’t always easy to detect. These injuries can be mild, moderate or severe. Even when there is no visible sign of trauma, such as wounds, the brain may have been damaged.

Facial injuries. Our face is at high risk of being injured during car crashes. It could hit the dashboard, windshield, steering wheel, car seats, airbag, side window or broken glass. These injuries may leave bruises, fractures or serious injuries on our teeth or jaw.

As a Kentucky Personal Injury Attorney, I work with individuals who were involved in car accidents. It can be really hard for the victims, especially when the one affected most is the provider for the household. That is why we need to pay attention to the road when we are driving. We need to put our cell phones down along with any other distraction so we can react to any given situation. Also, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance conducted a study and found out that car accidents are the leading cause of fatal head trauma among teens. That's right, it’s not football that causes the most head injuries. It's car accidents. Hence, every time we drive, let’s always observe safety precautions and keep the roads safer for everyone.

Michael A. Schafer and The Schafer Law Office represents clients and accident victims throughout Kentucky including Louisville, Lexington, LaGrange, Shepherdsville, Taylorsville, Shelbyville, Brandenburg, Elizabethtown, Frankfort, Carrolton, Bardstown, Munfordville, New Castle, Richmond, Bowling Green, St. Matthews, Prospect, Shively, Fairdale, Middletown, Douglas Hills, Valley Station and Pleasure Ridge Park. Cases are also handled in Jefferson County, Bullitt County, Oldham County, Shelby County, Hardin County, Spencer County, Fayette County, Franklin County, Carrol County, Henry County, Madison County, Nelson County, Anderson County, Trimble County, Larue County, Hart County and Meade County, Kentucky.